Tigerstar's Nine Lives
by TheMoonclaw
Summary: A Fanfiction detailing Tigerstar's naming ceremony to become Leader of ShadowClan. Takes place during orignal arc of Warriors


**Tigerstar's Nine Lives: By Moonclaw**

***Please note: This was written before Bluestar's Prophecy's release was annouced. As such, a few details are incorrect.***

**(Please do not use this story in any part without credit, characters and base story are copyrighted to Erin Hunter/HarperCollins)**

Mist lay heavy along the ground. Silverpelt glittered overhead and a soft, ruffling wind blow though the woodland. Tigerclaw padded across the clearing keeping his eyes and ears pricked for any sound, any sight.

A bush rustled from behind him, Tigerclaw spun around. "show yourself!" he growled. A black cat with green eyes and unkempt fur pushed out from the bush. "greetings, Tigerclaw" Tigerclaw sat down as he smelled ShadowClan scent from this strange cat. "I need no greetings, only my nine lives and the name of Star" The black cat stared with unblinking eyes. "yes, that is why you have come" Tigerclaw bristled with impatience "yes, that is why I've come, so get on with it!" He barked. The black cat let out a Mrrow of laugher "why is it the young feel they have so little time?" Tigerclaw narrowed his eyes. The black cat stood. "very well, rise, Tigerclaw, former deputy of ThunderClan" Tigerclaw did as he was told. "I am Shadow, first leader of ShadowClan" Tigerclaw snorted, "I care not who you are" Shadow walked around him in a circle, "some cats of StarClan would deny you your rightful leadership" Tigerclaw grinned, "I'd like to see them try" Shadow said nothing, she walked back to the bush.

Then, cats begin to pour out from the forest, they had stars in their fur and smelled of the freshest Ice, and of the fiercest Fire. Their eyes twinkled with wisdom and silver light, their paws barely graced the earth beneath them. Tigerclaw's heart pounded a little harder, but he stayed where he was.

Shadow stepped forward. "Tigerclaw, with this life I give you Power, Power to lead, Power to control." She touched her nose on his and a jolt of engery flowed though him, he saw great battles, claws, teeth, and felt a cold feeling thoughout his being. _"this must have been her life"_ He thought to himself. She stared at him a moment longer and then walked back to the others.

Another cat steped forward, Tigerclaw didn't recgoize him at first, but as he drew closer, Tigerclaw could make out his large head, cold eyes. "Thisleclaw!" Tigerclaw exclaimed surprised. Thisleclaw had been Tigerclaw's mentor, and should have been deputy over Bluefur. "Tigerclaw, With this life I give you strength, strength to over come anything." This time, Tigerclaw felt a bolt of pain shoot though him from his ears to the tip of his tail, he saw blood, and felt such ambition. _"that is what I will be"_ he thought. Thistleclaw dipped his head in fair well to his former apprentice. Tigerclaw raised his head and dared the next cat to step forward.

The next cat weaved his way though the groupings of cats. Tigerclaw smelled Shadowclan scent, but wasn't sure who he was. He dipped his head, "hear me Tigerclaw. I disapprove of what your plans are, what you want, but ShadowClan needs a strong leader, and that is you." Tigerclaw held his steady gaze and said nothing. He cared little for what this cat wanted. "with this life I give vitality, use it to protect and defend your clan for years to come" Their noses touched and Tigerclaw felt pain once again. He saw kits growing into warriors, cats dieing, seasons changing and felt regret. The cat was walking back to the group as Tigerclaw stood once more.

The next cat to step forward was a small kit, not old enough to be apprentice yet. Tigerclaw noticed long black stripes across his back. "Hello brother!" Squeaked the tiny kit. "Brother?" The kit hung his head. "I hadn't thought you'd know me……I died, just after I was born" Tigeclaw narrowed his eyes. He hadn't known he had a brother, or any littermate for that matter. The kit lifted his head, "but now I'm here, I can finally help you!" Tigerclaw stood still while the kit reached up and touched his nose "With this life I give you patience, please, use it well" There was a bit of plead in the small voice, almost a request. Tigerclaw felt energy surge though him, cold air, and then blackness. "that was his life, so short…" Tigerclaw thought as he stood there, cold to the bone from what he had felt. He glanced up to see the tiny amber eyes still pleading with him for a moment longer, then the kit walked back to the other cats.

A thin, brown she-cat walked out from the back of the group. Tigerclaw knew her at once, Hawktalon, one of the ThunderClan warriors who disapproved of Sunstar's choice to appoint Bluefur ThunderClan deputy. She walked up and looked at him with a steady gaze from her brown eyes. "with this life I give you swiftness, use it to claim your desires" Tigerclaw felt like a tree had fallen on him, crushing pain went though him quickly, like the surge of the river. Tigerclaw gripped the earth with his claws, determined to stay standing though this ordeal. Hawktalon walked back to the group and signaled with her tail for the next cat to step forward.

The next cat to step forward had large, bold shoulders and fierce amber eyes. Tigerclaw didn't know him, and yet felt close to him, as if they shared some long hidden secret. "Tigerclaw, I am your ancestor, Tigerfang." Tigerclaw knew that was the bond he had felt with this strange cat. Tigerclaw dipped his respectively. "With this life I give you courage, use it well and bring those who trouble you to their knees" Tigerclaw felt a rush of strength, it overwhelm him and he closed his eyes as it faded. Tigerfang looked at him once more and then turned and headed back to the waiting cats.

The next cat to step forward was of ThunderClan scent. She was thin and had short, wiry fur. Tigerclaw didn't know her, but he assumed she was someone from the clan when he was a apprentice. "Tigerclaw, with this life I give you endurance, use it over the coming years to aid your clan in hard times." Tigerclaw braced himself for the chilling feeling that swept though him. It shot to the tip of his ears. Tigerclaw managed to remain standing. The cat walked back to the group.

A cat with large, rounded eyes and pupils that were tiny stilts step graceful forward. His large, massive shoulders and legs made him look like a forbidding opponent in battle. Once he came closer, Tigerclaw saw how old and wise he looked. "Tigerclaw," he rasped, "With this life I give you Vigor, use it in battle and in troubling times to remain strong." Tigerclaw wasn't ready for the pain that came with this life. It felt as though claws ranked across his back. He fell down and closed his eyes. The pain begin to leave him as the cat went back to stand with the gathering.

The final cat step forward. Tigerclaw rose to his paws _"only one left……."_ he thought. The cat was lean and had glowing eyes, Tigerclaw was sure he was a ShadowClan cat by the way he carried himself. "Tigerclaw, With this life I give you stealth of Shadows, may you use it well." A burst of energy shot though him like lightning, he gasp from the surprise, then he felt light as air, as though he was invisible. The cat dipped his head in farewell and returned to the group.

Tigerclaw rose once more and stared at the gathered cats.

"Tigerclaw," a voice spoke from no one cat, it seemed to fill the air it's self, in every leaf, in every tree and on the wind. "we hail you by your new name Tigerstar," Tigerstar's heart pudding "finally……I'm so close……." The voice continued, " Your old life is no more, you have received the nine lives of a leader and StarClan grants you the guardianship of ShadowClan. Return it to it's once great power, protect it and lead it with strength." Tigerstar grinned. The cats who sought to stop had no power over him now, he would crush his enemies and bring plans to life. "Tigerstar! Tigerstar!" the cats of StarClan chanted, but Tigerstar noticed in the distance a gathering of cats who stared at him with burning blue eyes, he knew who they were, but it mattered not, they couldn't stop him, no one could. _"someday soon I will hold the power of the stars in my paws, and I shall rule the forest and StarClan"_ he vowed silently as the chanting died away and blackness replaced it.


End file.
